Minutes of the Faculty Welfare Committee (FWC)

9/10/09

 

Meeting began at 3pm

 

In attendance: 

Katrina DuBose, Linda Ingalls, Donna Lillian, Chris Locklear, Steven Kresch, Bonnie Mann, Melissa Nasea, Annette Perry, John Reisch, John Toller, Susan Simpson

 

Committee elected the following as committee officers:

Chair:              Katrina DuBose

Vice Chair:     Melissa Nasea

Secretary:      Revolving secretary (in alphabetical order of regular members with a vote)

 

The committee agreed to start future meeting at 3:30pm to accommodate schedules of committee members

 

The committee established a list of goals for the current academic year:

 

1.      Policy Manual/Faculty Manual Changes:  The FWC has been charged with reviewing specific items in the faculty manual and reporting on those items to the Faculty Senate.  Marianna Walker will discuss these items with the committee at the October 8 meeting.

 

2.      Faculty Salary Study:  The FWC is charged with conducting a faculty salary study.  Key issues to be determined include

(a)               how far back should the data be analyzed (pre-2007 data will be difficult to compare)

(b)               what should be compared (salaries, stipends, benefits [e.g., employee healthcare cost], etc.)

(c)               to whom should salaries be compared: externally (e.g., peer institutions) and internally (e.g., issues of salary inversion, compression, equity across genders, comparison between Colleges)

(d)               distribution of salaries (e.g., relative to GA and UNC system guidelines)

(e)               are salaries and benefits consistent with UNC Tomorrow?

FWC will obtain status reports from University Benefits Committee and other committees that may have related information. 

 

3.      Mentoring:  Continue with the examination of a mentoring program.

 

4.      Faculty taking or auditing classes:  Committee will seek clarification for faculty taking or auditing classes at ECU. Guidelines are being removed from faculty manual to university manual.  FWC will ensure it is adequately addressed in the university manual.


 

5.      Campus Childcare:  Due to budgetary constraints, a proposed childcare facility is on hold.  FWC should continue to emphasis to administration that this issue is critical for faculty recruitment and retention. A suggestion was made to consider other means for childcare including a co-op and the possible development of flexible scheduling to assist faculty and staff with childcare.

 

6.      Spousal and domestic partner policy: FWC should review the university’s spousal and domestic partner policy which is being drafted.

 

7.      Faculty dining privileges/Faculty club: Issue carried over from prior year; due to severe budget crisis, committee agreed not to examine this issue in the current academic year.

 

8.      Parking status for retired faculty:  Issue was addressed in prior year.  Committee will discuss if there is a need/request by Parking and Transportation.

 

Charges for next meeting:

1.      Melissa Nasea will bring the committee up-to-date at the October 8 meeting.

2.      John Reisch will communicate with various constituencies regarding faculty salaries and benefits, and will have an action plan for the October 8 meeting.

3.      Katrina DuBose will communicate with Marianna Walker and/or other individuals responsible for the draft “Proposed Assignments for the 2009-2010 Review of the ECU Faculty Manual” to determine role of FWC in the changes being made.

 

Next Meeting: October 8, 3:30pm

 

Meeting adjourned at 4:05pm

 

 

 

Minutes submitted by John Reisch